The connection between armed conflicts and environmental degradation lies at the heart of the Holy Father’s Message for the upcoming World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which will be observed on 1 September.

Drawing on the words of the Prophet Isaiah — “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4) — the Pope highlights how the devastation caused by war constitutes not only a grave violation of our duty to care for creation, but also a long-term threat to the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

The Message points out that the growing awareness of the many links between war and natural resources has not yet led to the establishment of adequate institutions or to the adoption of responsible decisions capable of preventing conflicts and promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The title chosen by Pope Leo XIV evokes Isaiah’s prophetic vision of weapons being transformed into agricultural tools. It is an explicit call to choose sustainable development, care for our common home, and cooperation among peoples over violence and destruction.